A. ReadingMrs. Mott and her granddaughter, Sally, are planting flowers in the garden. Mrs.Mott is using a trowel to dig small holes in the dirt. The holes are three inches deep andsix inches apart. After Mrs. Mott digs a hole, Sally puts a flower in it. The flowers are insmall plastic containers. Each container has dirt surrounding the roots of the plant. AfterMrs. Mott and Sally plant the flowers, they will water them with a garden hose. In a fewweeks the flowers will grow taller. When they are about eight inches tall, Mrs. Mott will

cut them and put them in a vase. She will put the vase of flowers on her kitchen table.B. True or False1. ________ Mrs. Mott’s grandson is named Sally.2. ________ Sally and her grandmother are planting flowers.3. ________ The flowers came in small plastic containers.4. ________ Mrs. Mott is wearing gloves.5. ________ The holes for the flowers are six inches deep.C. Yes or No – Share Your Opinion1. ________ I like to get flowers for my birthday.2. ________ People who talk to plants are crazy.D. Writing – Do you prefer artificial plants or real plants? Why?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________3

PREPARING FOR A TEST

A. ReadingWhitney and Dion are preparing for a Spanish test. Their teacher, Mr. Hidalgo, isgiving the test on Tuesday. The test will be on the vocabulary words in chapter two oftheir Spanish textbook. There will be fifty questions on the test. Each correct answer isworth two points. Students who get all the answers correct will get one-hundred points.Both Whitney and Dion want to get an A on the test. They wrote the vocabulary wordson index cards. They wrote the words in Spanish on one side of the index cards and inEnglish on the other side. Now, they are saying the words aloud.B. True or False1. ________ Whitney and Dion are students.2. ________ Mr. Hidalgo is giving a Spanish test on Tuesday.3. ________ Each test question is worth fifty points.4. ________ Dion wants to get an A on the test.5. ________ Whitney and Dion wrote the vocabulary words on index cards.C. Yes or No – Share Your Opinion1. ________ It’s good to study with a friend.2. ________ It’s easy for adults to learn a new language.D. Writing – How do you prepare for a test?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4

BANANA SPLITS

A. ReadingBanana splits taste delicious, and they are fast and easy to make. First, put ascoop of vanilla ice cream, a scoop of chocolate ice cream, and a scoop of strawberry icecream in an oval bowl. Then, pour strawberry, butterscotch, and pineapple syrup over thescoops of ice cream. Next, top each scoop of ice cream with whipped cream, choppednuts, and a cherry. Finally, peel a ripe banana and cut it in half lengthwise. Put thebanana halves on opposite sides of the bowl. Be sure to have plenty of napkins becausebanana splits are messy to eat.B. True or False1. ________ Banana splits are difficult to make.2. ________ Boil the bananas before you cut them in half.3. ________ After a banana is cut in half, it has four pieces.4. ________ Syrup and ice cream come in various flavors.5. ________ Banana splits are messy to eat.C. Yes or No – Share Your Opinion1. ________ Vanilla is the best ice cream flavor.2. ________ Banana splits are delicious.D. Writing – Are banana splits healthy or unhealthy? Why?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5

NEW CELL PHONE

A. ReadingArt’s wife bought him an expensive cell phone for his fiftieth birthday. Now, hecan take pictures, record videos, access the Internet, download maps, play music, andsend and receive text messages. Unfortunately, Art doesn’t know how to use all thefeatures on his new phone. He read the instructions, but he doesn’t understand them. Heread the instructions a second time, but he still doesn’t understand them. Art’s wife toldhim to ask a friend at work to show him how to use his new phone. Art doesn’t want toask for help. He doesn’t want his co-workers to think he is not good with technology.B. True or False1. ________ Art got a new cell phone for his birthday.2. ________ Some cell phones can record videos.3. ________ Art has a wife and a job.4. ________ Art is forty years old.5. ________ Co-workers are people who work for the same company.C. Yes or No – Share Your Opinion1. ________ Art should ask a co-worker to help him with his new cell phone.2. ________ Technology is improving our lives.D. Writing – Is it necessary to have a cell phone? Why?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6

BROKEN WRIST

A. ReadingYolanda was walking up some stairs at work when she tripped and fell. She puther right hand out as she started falling and broke her wrist. A co-worker drove her to theemergency room of a nearby hospital. An x-ray technician took x-rays of her wrist.When the x-rays came back, they showed that her wrist was broken. Now, Yolanda iswaiting to see a doctor. The doctor will have an assistant put a cast on her arm. Yolandahopes the doctor will give her a prescription for pain medication. Every time she movesit feels awful.B. True or False1. ________ Yolanda was injured at work.2. ________ A co-worker drove Yolanda to the hospital.3. ________ Yolanda’s left wrist is broken.4. ________ X-ray technicians take x-rays.5. ________ The hospital has an emergency room.C. Yes or No – Share Your Opinion1. ________ Yolanda will feel less pain when the cast is on her arm.2. ________ Patients should avoid taking pain medication.D. Writing – Did you ever break a bone? Did you have a cast?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7

BUS RIDE

A. ReadingMr. Farsi usually drives to work, but today he is taking the bus. His caroverheated yesterday, so it is at the repair shop. The mechanic said it will be ready afterfive o’clock tomorrow. Mr. Farsi is upset because the bus is crowded and he has to stand.He is trying to read the newspaper, but it is difficult because the bus jerks every time itstops and starts. The other passengers on the bus are talking loudly and he can’tconcentrate. He can’t hear when the bus driver calls out the names of the streets. Hecan’t see out the windows either. Mr. Farsi doesn’t like riding the bus.B. True or False1. ________ Mr. Farsi is driving the bus to work today.2. ________ Mr. Farsi’s car will be ready tomorrow.3. ________ There are many empty seats on the bus.4. ________ The bus driver calls out the names of the streets.5. ________ Mr. Farsi dislikes riding the bus.C. Yes or No – Share Your Opinion1. ________ Mr. Farsi should take a taxi to work tomorrow.2. ________ People should not talk loudly on the bus.D. Writing – Do you like to ride the bus? Explain your answer.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8

BABY VACCINATIONS

A. ReadingMrs. Akala is at the medical clinic with her son, Kanoa. Kanoa is six months oldand he is getting a check-up and a shot. The nurse weighed him, measured him, and tookhis temperature. Kanoa is thirty-four inches long, and he weighs twenty-eight pounds.His height and weight are average for his age. His temperature is 98 degrees, which isnormal. Mrs. Akala is grateful that Kanoa is a healthy baby. Now, the nurse is preparingto give Kanoa a vaccination. A vaccination is a shot. Babies receive shots to preventthem from getting serious diseases.B. True or False1. ________ Mrs. Akala’s son, Kanoa, is six months old.2. ________ Kanoa is small for his age.3. ________ Vaccinations prevent diseases.4. ________ Mrs. Akala and her son are in the emergency room at a hospital.5. ________ The nurse is crying.C. Yes or No – Share Your Opinion1. ________ Vaccinations are safe.2. ________ I am afraid of needles and shots.D. Writing – When was the last time you had a shot? Who gave it to you?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________9

COWBOY

A. ReadingBuck is a cowboy. He lives on a ranch in Montana with his horse Buckaroo. Theranch has cows, goats, horses, and chickens. Buck takes care of the cows on the ranch.He feeds them, rounds them up, brands them, and keeps them safe from wild animals. Healso mends broken fences and collects firewood. Buck works ten hours a day, six days aweek. His only day off is Sunday. On Sunday evenings, all the ranch workers eat a bigdinner together. After dinner, they sit around the campfire while Buck plays his guitar.They sing cowboy songs until their voices are hoarse.B. True or False1. ________ Buck has a cow named Buckaroo.2. ________ The ranch has animals.3. ________ The ranch is located in Montana.4. ________ The word hoarse means the same thing as horse.5. ________ Buck works forty hours a week.C. Yes or No – Share Your Opinion1. ________ I like campfires.2. ________ I like to participate in sing-a-longs.D. Writing – Would you like to live on a ranch? Why?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10

NEW DRIVER

A. ReadingLuz and Raymond are going to dinner with their neighbors, Victor and Ashley.They are going to a Mexican restaurant that is about fifteen miles from their house. Therestaurant has great food and the prices are reasonable.Luz is driving, and she is nervous. She got her drivers license a month ago, andthis is the first time she has driven with passengers in the backseat. Her husbandRaymond taught her how to drive. Luz easily passed the driving test, but her husbandthinks she needs more practice driving.B. True or False1. ________ Raymond is married to Luz.2. ________ An instructor at a driving school taught Luz how to drive.3. ________ Luz passed the driving test.4. ________ Raymond, Luz, and their neighbors just ate Mexican food.5. ________ Luz forgot to put on her seatbelt.C. Yes or No – Share Your Opinion1. ________ It’s easy to teach someone to drive a car.2. ________ Wearing a seatbelt can save your life.D. Writing – Do you always wear a seatbelt when you’re traveling in a car? Why?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

11

BAD REPORT CARD

A. ReadingLarry’s parents received his report card in the mail today, and they are very upset.Larry got two F’s on his report card. One F is in math and the other is in reading.Larry’s teacher, Mrs. Newsome, wrote a note and asked Larry’s parents to meet with herfor a teacher-parent conference.Larry used to get good grades, but lately he’s been spending more time with hisfriends and less time studying. Sometimes he copies his friend Joe’s homework.Sometimes he just doesn’t do his homework at all.B. True or False1. ________ Larry’s parents are upset.2. ________ Mrs. Newsome is Larry’s teacher.3. ________ Larry is a good student.4. ________ Teachers and parents meet during teacher-parent conferences.5. ________ Larry doesn’t always do his homework.C. Yes or No – Share Your Opinion1. ________ Larry’s parents should punish him.2. ________ Kids should go to school on Saturday mornings.D. Writing – What should Larry’s parents do? Why?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________12